Kalidas, the great classical Sanskrit poet and playwright (5th C. AD), wrote an extended poem called Meghdoot, The Cloud Messenger, describing the journey of a cloud as it carries a message from a Yaksha, a divine being, to his beloved.

The Hindi film Meghdoot was released in 1945. Jagmohan, a well-known actor-singer of the time, sang the following song from the film, "O Varsha ke Pehle Badal" (O first cloud of the rainy season).

In 1960, the Government of India released a postage stamp honoring Kalidasa: